• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 2024

The study investigated species diversity, relative abundance, and decline of flying insects and plants within a fragmented forest in the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Ondo State, Nigeria. It is known that habitat fragmentation can reduce biodiversity. Thus, it is important to perform comprehensive assessments to understand implications of the habitat fragmentation for flora and fauna. Species richness and abundance of flying insects and plants across fragmented forest patches were quantified using field surveys and taxonomic identification. This study revealed shifts in species diversity, with fragmented areas exhibiting reduced biodiversity compared to contiguous forest ecosystems. Flying insects crucial for ecosystem functioning and pollination services demonstrated decreased species richness and relative abundance within fragmented habitats. This decline was attributed to habitat loss, altered microclimates, and limited movement pathways known to hinder insect dispersal. Similarly, plant species richness and abundance showed decline in fragmented forest due to disrupted mutualistic interactions with pollinators, altered nutrient cycling, and increased competition among plant species. This study underscores the importance of maintaining intact forest habitats to sustain healthy ecosystems and preserve biodiversity. Effective conservation strategies should focus on habitat connectivity, reforestation efforts, and protection of essential ecological corridors to mitigate effects of fragmentation. In conclusion, this investigation provides empirical evidence for effects of habitat fragmentation on flying insects and plants in a forest ecosystem in FUTA Akure, Nigeria. Findings emphasize an urgency of adopting conservation measures to safeguard these invaluable components of biodiversity and ecosystem stability in the face of ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.241-249
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• 2023

Background: This study analyzed the drought responses of five forest tree species grown in Korean peninsula, Korean fir Abies koreana (Ak), eastern white pine Pinus strobus (Ps), keyaki Zelkova serrata (Zs), tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera (Lt), and Japanese elm Ulmus japonica (Uj). Physiological (chlorophyll, root collar diameter [RCD]) and biochemical responses (non-structural carbohydrates, proline, lipid peroxidase and abscisic acid [ABA]) of the plants grown under mild (MD) and severe drought (SD) were compared. Results: In this study, three soil moisture regimes: control (100% precipitation), MD (60% reduction in precipitation) and SD (20% reduction in precipitation) were applied. Soil moisture content showed high water content in control site compared to MD and SD. A decline in RCD was found for Korean fir, keyaki, and tulip plants, with eastern white pine and Japanese elm showing no significant decline to the prolonged drought exposure (both MD and SD). Total chlorophyll showed a significant decline in Korean fir and tulip, with the sugar levels indicating a significant increase in Korean fir and keyaki species under SD compared to control plants. Non-significant decline in sugar level was noted for eastern white pine and Japanese elm. High accumulation of ABA, malondealdehyde and proline was noted in Korean fir, tulip, and keyaki under SD compared to control. Signs of tree mortality was only observed in Korean fir under MD (38%) and SD (43%). Conclusions: The observed findings indicate the drought responses of five tree species. The majority of the morpho-physiological (especially mortality) and biochemical variables assessed in our study indicate superior long-term drought resistance of Ps and Uj compared to the highly sensitive Ak, and moderately sensitive Lt and Zs. The results provided will help species selection for afforestation programs and establishment of sustainable forests, especially of drought-tolerant species, under increased frequency and intensity of spring and summer droughts.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.48-58
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• 2024

Reports of a global decline in pollinator populations, especially mason bees, have raised concerns regarding the maintenance of pollination interactions. Although addressing local factors causing bee decline is a potential mitigation strategy at the landscape scale, regional rates and high-latitude threats to bee diversity are unclear. We investigated the distribution of mason bees (Osmia. spp. (O. pedicornis, O. corniforns, O. taurus, and O. satoi) and measured species richness and species ratios at regional, latitudinal, and altitudinal scales. We examined the association between bee species richness and three putative environmental conditions: high-low, altitude-dependent, and latitude-dependent. The species richness of the O. pedicornis bee was the highest and it was found between latitudes 35° and 37°, and at 500-600 m in both the northern and southern hemispheres, showing an inverse latitudinal gradient of bee species richness in South Korea. Mason bee species richness and global climate are important predictors of flowering plant diversity. Climate change threatens bee and vascular plant diversity; however, the overlap between bee abundance and plant diversity can be improved by employing suitable conservation strategies.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.258-271
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• 2009

Various environmental parameters change and ecological succession often lead to decline of Pinus densiflora forest in Seoul. Due to decline of it, we proposed the ecological management for conserving and improving from decrease of its dominant area on there. We analysed the P. densiflora forest's classification and suggested its ecological management that based on relation to competition between dominant species in the upper tree layer, the presence of competitive species in shrub layer and vegetation management standard. The Pinus densiflora forest types has been classified 6 types by ecological characteristics. The results from categorized its types are following as; 1) Pinus densiflora pure forest type; edaphic climax Pinus densiflora forest(26.1%), Pinus densiflora pure forest(21.5%). 2) the forest of Pinus densiflora and other species that compete with each other type; Pinus densiflora-Quercus mongolica forest(28.0%), Pinus densiflora-Pinus rigida forest(13.1%), Pinus densiflora-Quercus acutissima(4.2%). We conclude that the results in these kind of 4 types; Pinus densiflora pure forest type where possible to maintain the forest by edaphic climax, human trampling damage, vegetation management(e.x. remove the competition species, shrub layers management etc.) are mainly need to negative management. Whereas, the others 4 types; Pinus densiflora and other species(Quercus variabilis, foreign species, naturalized species etc.) that compete with each other types are need to positive management such as manage the same niche competition species, shrub layers management, remove the foreign species, naturalized species etc.. In these kinds of ecological management are very necessary to maintain Pinus densiflora forest.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.112 no.3
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• pp.322-330
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• 2023

Amid the recent intensification of climate change, the decline of subalpine coniferous species is evident. Accordingly, the Korea Forest Service is conducting research to establish conservation measures, identify the causes of the decline of subalpine coniferous species, and establish conservation strategies for seven species of conifers in the alpine region. This study used an economic value evaluation method to present objective data to inform the need for and value of conservation of endangered coniferous species through the recognition of endangered coniferous species and evaluation of conservation value among coniferous species conservation strategies in endangered alpine areas. A contingent valuation method was applied. As a result, the estimated conservation value per household of endangered alpine coniferous species was 49,181 won.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.417-423
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• 2021

Apple decline symptoms were frequently observed on cv. Fuji apple orchards located in Gyeonggi, Gyeongbuk, and Gangwon provinces during surveys conducted from May until the end of September 2020. Three fungal strains were isolated from the margins of internal lesions of diseased apple trees, and their morphological characteristics were considered similar to Botryosphaeria sinensis. Phylogenetic analysis using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), beta-tubulin (tub2), and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2) gene sequences confirmed the closest relationship of isolates with B. sinensis at the species level. According to a pathogenicity test, the appearance of dark-brown discolorations and vascular necrosis on apple branches inoculated with the isolated strain KNUF-20-014 was observed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of B. sinensis as the causal agent of apple disease in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.87-89
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• 2003

Although a forest damage of large area due to air pollution has not yet been found in Korea, declines of Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc.), the most common coniferous species, have been locally reported. To evaluate the effect of air pollution and acid deposition on the forests, SO$_2$ concentration, acid load, soil pH and tree decline were monitored for 13 years from 1988 to 2001 in Namsan, Doowang and Gyebangsan with the gradient of air pollution. During the study period, annual mean SO$_2$ concentration in Namsan, Doowang and Gyebangsan were 14 ppb, 13 ppb and 6 ppb, respectively. Annual mean acid loads in Namsan and Doowang were three to four times more than that in Gyebangsan. As respected, forest surface soils in Namsan and Doowang were acidified to pH 4.1 and 4.3, whereas that in Gyebangsan showed normal value as pH 5.4. On the other hand, decline degrees of Korean red pines in Namsan and Doowang in both 1996 and 2001 were higher than those in Gyebangsan. It is reasonable that the severer tree declines in Namsan and Doowang could be closely related with the higher air pollution, acid load, and the effects (possibly Ca deficit and Al toxicity) of soil acidification.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Fisheries Technology Conference
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• 2000.05a
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• pp.375-376
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• 2000

Sex ratio of a population is a key factor to determine reproductive rate of the population. If the population has skewed sex ratio to the male, the population size may decline gradually at an area which it inhabits, and, furthermore, if a species plays an ecologically important role in its community (e.g., a keystone species in Paine, 1966), its potential reproductive rate will be to form a characterized community because community structure is strongly influenced by the abundance of the ecologically important species (Hughes, 1986). A number of workers (e.g., Bryan et al., 1986 in Nucella lapillus; Spence et al., 1990 in Thais haemastoma) suggested that high frequency and/or late stage of imposex might affect the female mortality and normal reproduction adversely. Consequently, the imposex could affect sex ratio of natural population of some neogastropod including thaisid species. (omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
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• 2005.12a
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• pp.132-133
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• 2005

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.432-438
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• 2013

This study was conducted to compare seed viability among 42 species after ten years of storage in the midterm storage complex ($4^{\circ}C$, 30-40% RH) at the National Agrobiodiversity Center (NAC) Korean genebank maintained by the Rural Development Administration (RDA), Republic of Korea and to suggest the relative seed longevity and suitable monitoring intervals. The germination data from initial tests and after ten years of storage were compared to measure changes in viability during storage. The decline in seed viability varied greatly among seeds from -11.5% for Triticum sp. to 80% for melon. Coriander, crowndaisy, safflower, cosmos, Chinesebellflower, waxgourd, melon, castorbean, Welch-onion, hollyhock, wild barley, and tallfescue showed significant decreases in viability of 34.2%, 73.4%, 36.5%, 30.0%, 40.2%, 71.3%, 80.0%, 65.9%, 45.5%, 51.4%, 53.0%, and 33.5%, respectively. Gardenpea, soybean, perilla, onion, wild rice, Italian-ryegrass, and pepper showed a 15-30% decline in viability, while the viability of morningglory, adzukibean, maize, and Capsicum sp. decreased by 15% to 5%. Chicory, radish, Chinese-cabbage, bottlegourd, watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin, Cucurbita sp., groundnut, kidneybean, clubwheat, sesame, wheat, Triticum sp., rice, barley, orchardgrass, buckwheat, and wild tomato showed changes in viability of <5%. The changes in storage viability also varied within families. The wild types of rice and barley showed rapid viability loss and presented different aspects from cultivars. Since seed viability of species, classified as index 1 or 2, showed germination losses >15% after ten years of storage, a viability test should be conducted with five year intervals, while species with germination loss of <15% (in index 3 or 4) can be retested at ten year intervals.